It might not be that bad of an idea to keep an open mind about life. There are so many people today who I find have a very small vision field. Now I don’t mean they can’t see physically. I mean their thoughts are not always open to bigger things.

Although this is not a bad way to live, since most of the time a closed-minded person has a safer life. It can be hard for these people to adjust to our ever-changing world. Over the past five years there has been such a jump in the way our youth acts that I have even had to get used to some of them. As you get older you can start to see where your generation gap starts and stops. Well I must have been in a generation where, when you can hear the words of a song then it’s good music and when you get a home cooked meal then you are getting to have some special time with family.

Now you are lucky if any music on the hip radio stations have words that you can understand anyway, and there really is no such thing as a family, home cooked dinner. Not unless you are in trouble and have to stay home with your parents.

When I was younger I think I may have gone “out” once maybe twice a month. The rest of the time I was more than happy to be at home helping around the house spending time with family and relaxing.

My younger sister doesn’t seem to have time to do any of that. With school, cheerleader practice, trying to get a job and her out of school activities it seems that she never even gets the chance to slow down to breath. Let alone get to spend real time with family.

This is how her generation is living life though, fast and furious. They have to in order to keep up with the world around them. Even I get stuck having to try to keep up with the world and that is not easy for me because I am so used to being able to take my time and enjoy life.

We may be creating new generations who can find cures for cancer, world hunger and finally create world peace, but do we really want to do that at the expense of them losing their lives. I know that they are not getting shot at and they are fairly safe today, but if they can’t slow down to have a life then isn’t that the same thing as losing one?

Note: Ashley McCartney is a news writer for The Clanton Advertiser. Her lifestyle column appears on Sundays.